


Runaway

by majestic_ishere



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Detective Comics (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Damian is a vegetarian, Drunken Mistakes, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fourth Wall, Friends to Lovers, Gay Stuff, Girl Troubles, M/M, Original Characters - Freeform, Pining, Romantic Fluff, Sibling, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Rivalry, Teen Crime-Fighting Team, Teen Crime-fighting, Vegetarian, androgynous superhero, bad habits, bruce is a dad, cousins?, healthy competition, sibling relationships, switch POV
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2018-12-23 20:11:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11997105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/majestic_ishere/pseuds/majestic_ishere
Summary: Sammy would probably like to describe himself as a 'small town boy' but that would definitely not be the right description for him.  He's the son of billionaire socialite Bruce Wayne.  He was raised in the crime-ridden city of Gotham, and the lack of sunlight has an effect on everyone.  And then things get really cheesy with metaphorical sunlight and all that good stuff.





	1. We Meet our two Main Characters, and Sexual Tension

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so this is just the first chapter of an idea I had let me know if you guys are interested in more? I know it's a little different, because it's about my OCs, but I don't want to write existing characters wrong, so... I hope you enjoy!

My name is Samuel Thomas Wayne.   _The_ Samuel Thomas Wayne.  I was born on August 18, 1994 to Bruce and Diana Prince Wayne.  Yes, _the_ Bruce and Diana Prince Wayne.  Most of you probably think about the renowned socialite and billionaire when you think Bruce Wayne.  But what you don’t know is that those two big names that make up my parentage are so much more than that.  Bruce Wayne is _the_ Batman.  And who is my mom, Diana Prince Wayne, you ask?  Wonder Woman.   _The_ Wonder Woman.  Oh, and I have a sister.  She’s almost exactly two years older than me.  We’re so close that we’re practically twins.  Her name is Jessica, although she doesn’t like that so much, says it’s too girly for her.  She goes by Jessie and I go by Sammy.  But not in public.  Since our parents are big names, we need to keep up our public presence, so I’d like to say I’m a pretty experienced actor.  

My sister and I fought on several different teams, starting off just with our father, patrolling our city.  After that we joined a team of teenagers like us.  Soon the team grew and we agreed, it was just too much for us.  Unwilling to give up crime fighting entirely, we started our own team of misfits.  It was made up of us two, Jessie’s three good friends, and two we picked up along the way.  Our family is large, but that’s the way we like it, with all the adopted children and bickering, we wouldn’t have it any other way.  Biologically, Jessie and I have a half-brother, Damian.  He is the current Robin, and a huge brat.  

My life was going pretty good for awhile, I had a happy family, a steady team, and no one had died for awhile.  And then I began to fall in love.  And life hit me like a truck.

 

It all started with the most gorgeous person I had ever met, one October morning, the air was crisp, just becoming cold.  Just like every other morning, I walked in to Gotham Academy with my sister in our issued uniforms.  It was my first day of Sophomore year, and I had big hopes for my second year in high school.  

Wait, I think our story should start a little bit before the school year, over the summer bridging freshman and sophomore year.  I had a girlfriend, Morgan Karenn, and let’s just say things didn’t go very… well.  

My parents agreed to let me go on a weekend trip to the beach with her and her friends.  We had a pretty good time, playing in the sand and in the water, splashing each other and pulling each other under the waves to catch sneaky kisses.  One night we had a bonfire, and Morgan and I might have had too much to drink.

She giggles drunkenly as she pulls me into her hotel room.  The room is getting warmer and warmer.

"What do you want me to do, Daddy?"  She whispers, biting my ear. 

Long story short, I end up leaving with my pants around my ankles in a panic because apparently girls scare me.

I break my resolve and pull out the package of cigarettes Jason gifted me before I left.  I promised my dad I wouldn’t use them.  I find a lighter at a nearby gas station, and I try not to choke on my first puff of smoke.  Thanks Jason, another bad habit I will pick up from you.  But he’s right, it does help me think.  I meander down to the beach, wandering down to the dock, letting the constant lapping of the water calm me down.  I’m alone here.  

 

I’m making my way back to the hotel, probably just grab my stuff and head back home, calling it a weekend.  I let out another puff of smoke and round the building, and run right into a big burly guy.  I brace myself and don’t fall over, but as soon as I look up, every blood cell migrates into my cheeks. (Now Tim would tell you that’s not possible, but that’s what it felt like, everything else was numb except my burning face)

My cigarette falls out of my mouth, and he bends to pick it up.  I expect him to give it back (for some reason) but instead he tosses it into a nearby trash can.

“You shouldn’t smoke, it’s bad for you.”  He says, and his voice is deep, but smooth.  My heart races faster.  His piercing grey eyes find mine again.  

“M-my dad tells me not to.”  I say, not sure what my mouth is doing.  “But my brother says it helps him think, I decided to give it a try.”

“Careful, don’t think _too_ much.”  He says jokingly, and my laugh falters.

“I have a lot to think about.”  I say miserably, for lack of a better response.  

“Girl troubles?”  He says, swinging a soft punch at my muscled arms.  I don’t feel it (I’ve been hit harder) and I’m so numb right now I forget to pretend to be hurt.

“Wow, you’re stronger than you look Runaway.  Got more meat on those arms than you let on.”  He says, feeling my arms through the sweatshirt with his big, rough hands.  Thinking about his hands sends a rush of blood through my body, not in a good place, oh no, _not in a good place!_

I whip off my sweatshirt and tie it around my waist, pretend to be showing off my muscles.  I flex, try them out.  He looks impressed enough.  I laugh it off, but keep my sweatshirt where it is on my hips.  

“So what’re you doing out here?  I thought you and Morgan left to go… hook up or something.”  

“You’re with Morgan’s group?”  I’m astonished, how did I not see him before?  He looks miffed that I didn’t notice.  “I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention to much else.”  I admit.  He smiles, and playfully slings his arm over shoulders.  I’m afraid he’ll feel my heartbeat through my skin.  I fake laugh, it sounds even more awkward than silence.

“So what’s up with you Runaway?” He says, and we start to walk back to the dock I was just at.  I swear I can still smell smoke.

“I just wasn’t ready.  I just- oh what the hell.  Why am I telling you this?  I don’t even know your name.  You might be a random creepo who was peeping on Morgan playing at the beach.”  I don’t move though.  I don’t push away.

“Yeah, that would be creepy.”  He agrees.  We walk in silence for awhile.  We’re almost to the dock again.  “I guess you can only trust my word.  My name’s Asher.”

“I’m Sammy.”  

“So, what are you running from, Sammy?”

“A very horny girl who is probably very angry at me right now.”

“Oh no, did you get a blow job and run?”

“I panicked, okay?”  He throws his head back in laughter.  He pushes away, putting his hand on my quickly beating heart, looking right into my eyes.

“WAit waitwaitwait.  You had the chance to hook up with one of the hottest girls at our school… and you _panicked_ ?  What the hell man?  Are you _that_ attached to your V card?”  He pinches the bridge of his nose in between his thumb and forefinger.  “Please tell me you didn’t actually just get a blowjob and run.  What the hell, are you like gay or something?”

“No, I’m not a fag.  I’ll tell you what happened if you do me a favor.”  

“Yeah buddy, sure.” He sighs.

“Get my stuff out of her room.”

“What the _shit_ man?  What the hell did you do?!?”  He throws up his hands and paces towards the edge of the dock.  He thinks for a second and paces back to me.  “Yeah.  I’ll get them for you buddy.  But, you don’t _really_ have to tell me anything.”

 

He returns soon enough and I sling the recently retrieved backpack over my shoulder and head away.

“Wait, Runaway, hold up.”  I stop, and his eyes get my heart beating again.  “Are you guys like officially done?”

“Yeah, go hit that if you want, my man.”

“That’s not- whatever.  See ya next year, buddy.”  And he looks down at his feet.  I turn away reluctantly, walking towards the road in front of the hotel.  I pull out my phone from my bag.  I dial up the number I probably use the least.  It rings for a few seconds, finally picking up.

“Hey Jason, it’s Sammy.  Can you come pick me up?"


	2. A Meeting With a Gorilla

“Hey Jason, it’s Sammy.  Can you come pick me up?  No I can’t have Alfred pick me up, my parents can’t know.  Yes I’ll help you patrol, whatever.  Of course I have my uniform, I’m not an idiot.  Mmhmm.  Yeah.  I’m at the hotel by the dock.  Yeah the one missing half the sign.  Yeah!  That was Bane, right?  I think Harper shot it.  Yeah.  K, I’ll be here.”  I stand, play a few games on my phone, text Jessie, and try not to look back at the prettiest boy I’ve ever seen.  I can sense him still lingering.  Jason pulls up in his fancy car.  No one knows where he got it from.  The passenger window rolls down, revealing Jason’s chiseled face and mess of hair.

“Get in loser, we’re going shopping.”  He says, unlocking the door.  I open it up, instantly getting hit with a stench of smoke, sweat, and I think that might be moldy hamburgers.  I crinkle up my nose, but buckle myself into the shotgun seat.  Of course with Jason, the ‘shotgun’ part could be quite literal.  I pull the cigarettes out of the bag I placed at my feet and hand him the pack.  

“Thanks for coming to get me.  I won’t need these anymore.”  I take one last look at Asher, he’s in the same place as I left him, and I wave before we rip out of the parking lot of the hotel.  

“Hey man, there’s one missing.”  He says, rifling through it.

“Focus on the road!”  I say, lunging for the steering wheel.

“Relax, my man, I got it.”  He bats away my hands.  “Seriously, dude.  There’s one missing.  Did you use it, or lose it?”

“You were right.”  I stare ahead, not answering the question.

“About what?”  He says, glancing over at me.

“It helped me think.”  I say.  He looks over at me, forgetting the road again.  His big hands slap my chest hard, he looks proud.

“My man.”  He focuses on the road again.  “Alright, get yourself in the backseat and change into your costume _Lion_.”  I manage to wriggle back there amongst countless unnameable objects that I couldn’t make out in that darkness.  The first thing I always put on is my mask.  I can never risk being discovered.  

 

Patrol feels weird and empty without Jessie.  We’re two halves of the Lion and Lioness names.  A crime fighting duo.  Brother and sister combo.  Very White Stripes.  Actually, that’s a common misconception, they were married.  We found that out when we were researching years ago for our costumes.  We wanted to put white stripes on the sides of our boots as a tribute the brother-sister thing, but turns out they were married.  We still put the stripes, and insisted it was not incest.  

 

Anyways, I think that’s enough backstory, now to the good meat.  Everything went smooth enough with my parents, Morgan and I broke up like predicted, and Jason and I apprehended a drunk driver that turned out to be Roy Harper.  

The third week of school, and I’m almost late for class.  My books are precariously stacked on top of each other, a setup for disaster, I know.  But I’m rushing around a corner, almost safe to my class, when BAM I run right into the most beautiful boy I’ve ever met for the second time this year.

“Hey, it’s Runaway!”  He kneels to help me stack my books back up.  “where are you running to now?”

“Class.” I say breathless, stacking everything back up.  He puts the last book on the pile.

“Hey, talk later, if you’re not in too much of a hurry?”

“Yeah, of course.”  But I’m speeding away and I make it into my class flustered just as the bell rings.

 

“Hey, Runaway, wait up!”  He calls behind me.  I stop walking, turning around to watch the beautiful hunk run towards me.  

“What’s up, buddy?”  He falls in stride with me.  His eyes get my heart beating again, but I try my best to control it.  It’s March.  We’ve hung out more, and I’m getting more used to this mysterious beating in my hollow chest.  

“Wanna hang out?”

“Yeah, my parents won’t be here for a while tonight.  We can blast our music as loud as we want and we won’t get in trouble if my siblings are annoyed.”  He laughs, throwing his left arm around my shoulder.  He's a couple inches taller than me, so he can easily rest his arm over my shoulders.  “Speaking of which, I need to call ahead, make sure no one’s doing anything super embarrassing when we walk in.”

“Alright buddy.”  He says, and lets me go.  He knows I like to take my phone calls privately.  I call the home phone, it rains for a long time.  Finally it picks up and an all-too familiar voice bursts out.

“Hey my man, what’s up?”

“Hi Jason.  Wait, what are you doing at the manor?”  

“Diana needs help watching you kiddies while her and Bruce go out.”  He says with traces of annoyance in his voice.

“Oh, okay.  Cool.  I’m bringing a friend over.  Make sure no one’s in costume when we get there.”  I hiss into the phone.

“Yeah, okay dude.  Want me to pick you and your girlfriend up?” He says, laughing.

“ _He’s_ not my girlfriend and your car smells terrible, I don’t want him getting poisoned from the air inside your car.”

“Yeah whatever, Jessie’s sidekick.”  I take a deep breath to not respond.

“Ok, see you Jay.”  I say with finality, hanging up and bouncing back to my best friend who still sets my heart all aflutter.  

“What’s up, buddy?”  Asher says, slinging his arm over my shoulders comfortably again.  He was a few inches taller than me, but I had grown a good bit the last couple months.  The height difference wasn’t as big now, but it always felt so much better to be secured underneath his strong arms.  Like he was anchoring me to this world, my only concrete connection to the world outside of Wayne Manor.  Talking, carrying on comfortable conversations while pressed against each other.  

“My crazy brother is going to be our ‘babysitter’ tonight.”  I say, resting my head in his shoulder.

“Which one?  You have like, four right?”

“Yeah, Duke doesn’t really count as a brother I guess, I don’t know.  But the one with the one streak of white in his hair.  I don’t know if you’ve met Jason.”  

“Oh wait, the one who picked you up that night at the hotel.”

“Yeah him.  He was the one who gave me the cigarettes.”

“That dude?  His hair was a mess and he kinda looked like he just killed someone.”  

“Yeah, he’s adopted.”

“Oh, ok explains that.”  He chuckles, his gaze loosely drifting off across the street.  His smile disappears. I look up at his pretty face.  

“What is it?” I say, looking over as well.  Crossing the street is a gang of the ‘cool kids’ mostly made of football players and jocks.  The group Asher used to hang out with.  They do not look happy.  They walk in front of us and spread around our meager two-person group, boxing us in.  Asher and I stand back-to-back, I subconsciously slip into my combat-ready pose.  Right leg forward, fists up, knees slightly bent.  My heart starts beating, but not in the good Asher way.  In the bad _holy shit_ kinda way.

“Hey fags, what’s up?”  The biggest, burly guy says as he steps towards Asher.  

“Step back, Gunner.”  Ashers says, shoving him away from our two-person form.  

“Do that again.  I dare you.”  He grabs my best friend’s collar, dragging him closer to his unshaven face.  

“Get off of him.”  I say calmly, trying to shove myself between the two burly guys.  

“What are you going to do, squirt?”  He says, spittle flying by my face.

“Let go of my friend and I’ll show you.”  I say, and he snarls in response.

“Sammy, no.  Get outta here I got this.”  Asher says, pushing me back with his big, burly hands.

“Get your hairy hands off of my friend.”  I direct towards ‘Gunner’.  

“Fine, twerp.  I’ll humor you.”  He drops Asher on the ground.  He bolts up, and tries to shove me away, but I’m taking off my backpack and sweatshirt and handing it to him.  My muscles are barely peeking through my t-shirt sleeves, and you could almost make out some scars scattered on my arms.  

“What can some snobby rich kid do?”  Some other guy sneers.  I glance around.  I’d estimate six boys, this should be easy.  

“Asher get out from the middle, I’ll take care of this gorilla.”

“What did you just call me, pipsqueak?”  He says, his voice a cold knife edge.  Luckily I’ve been trained to disarm an attacker with a knife.  

“Gorilla.”  I say matter-of-factly, taking two fingers on his chest and pushing him backwards.  “Or would you prefer buffoon?”  You could see his anger boiling in his eyes.  “Or what about the Wicked Witch, with your mindless monkeys?”

“Sammy, sTOP.”  Asher cries out at me.  Two more boys had grabbed a hold of him.  

“Kick his ass Gunner.”  One boy cries out.  Many voices are piping up now from the outskirts.

“Just punch his boyfriend.  I heard the gays are very protective.”  

“This snob can’t take you down.”

“You’re correct.”  I say towards the latest boy to speak.  “I can take you _all_ down.”  And suddenly, I strike out with my leg, kicking Gunner straight in the stomach, sending him back into his other boys.  One boy swings at me, but I duck, and while I’m close to the ground, I sweep some other boy’s tree trunk legs out from under him.  I turn and find legs all around me.  I realize this was possibly _not_ the best decision.  I punch the guy closest in the nether region and bounce up to roundhouse another boy into some more.  Strike.  They try to collect themselves, they’re still in between me and Asher and the two boys holding him.  Gunner approaches me again.  I brace myself, waiting for him to get closer.  I bounce a little, preparing to jump.  I spring myself up, tucking into a flip, emerging with my left leg sticking out.  The downward motion of my booted foot collides with the back of Gunner’s head, I shove off of his head mid air, propelling him forward, safely behind me.  Keeping my knees loose, I nail the landing.  As soon as I land, I punch a guy straight in the chest, knocking the wind out of him.  My right hand swings from his chest into another guy’s face.

“Kill those fuckers!”  Blood spits out of Gunner’s face as he yells behind me.  

Time slows down.

They have a knife.  Oh Gods they have a knife.

I may have been trained to deflect knives, but Asher wasn’t.  

I feel it as if it collided with my own skin.

He’s bleeding.  Dear Gods he’s bleeding.  

His body convulses as he’s stabbed again.  My eyesight goes red.  Rage clouds everything.  All I can see is me tearing through the thugs, planting two solids fingers into the eyes of the boys holding him, and finally catching him, and holding him.  

“Get up.  We need to move.  Quickly!”  I lift him, hoisting his arms on my shoulders.  Somehow his arm over my shoulders doesn’t feel as comforting right now, but I still regain my normal eyesight and I’m more calm now that I know he’s safer.  The boys behind us are starting to get up now, and we try to hobble across the street.

“What the hell was that, Sammy?”  He says, I’m not sure if it’s real or imagination, but I think there’s blood in pooling in his mouth.  

“Not now.  I’ll tell you everything soon.”  I say, keeping him upright, holding most of his weight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well thanks for reading the second chapter, and if you made it this far, congratulations. I wasn't going to post it so soon, but it just... happened? As always leave me comments on what I could do better or what I should include next time. Thanks again and sorry for the language a second time.


	3. Jason Protects His Car

“Wait, isn't that your car?”  He says, but I’m not sure if that’s exactly what he said, because his voice sounded so tired and he was slurring a bit now.  What the he-

Jason’s car is speeding towards us.  I scramble, trying to get us off the road before he flies past.  I stand in front of Asher, bracing for the impact.  It doesn’t come.  A loud screeching sound peals from his tires as he brakes right in front of us.  Jessie comes tearing out of the passenger’s seat into the mess of teenage boys, and Jason gets out and opens the backseat door for us and helps me lift him in, clearing off the seat.

“Wait a sec.”  And he grabs a towel, laying it down before the boy bleeding out in my arms.  “What? I don’t need him staining my car.”

“You wouldn’t care if it was Roy.”  I snap.

“I understand you are distressed right now, but _really_?”  He tries to retort as he tosses more towels at me.  Jessie flops back into the car, blood staining her knuckles.

“Jess, don’t you think that was a bit overkill?”  I say, crouching on the floor of Jason’s speeding car.  I quickly push up his shirt and grab one of the towels, folding it over the two wounds.  I press them firmly over the top, grabbing his hand and placing it over them.

“I didn’t like _seriously_ beat them up,”  she remarks, inspecting her bloody knuckles “one just got a bloody nose is all.”  She says, folding her arms.

“Hold.”  I command Asher, and I pop my head up next to Jess’s.  “Hand me my backpack.”

“What?”

“My backpack.  Asher dropped it back there.  Did you grab it?”

“Of course I didn’t, I wasn’t tidying your room I was punching people.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake.  Let’s go clean up the mess you made.”  Jason sighs, as he whips the car back around the way we came.

“The mess _we_ made?!  They attacked us first!”

“Yet you still engaged in the fight!”  She retorts, taking his side.  

“You’re taking his side?!  And besides, what choice did I have?  They had weapons and they were going to beat up Asher.”

“Listen, it’s cute that you’re protective over your friend, but all they had were concealed knives.  That’s a _loose_ argument.”  

“Run kids.”  Jason yells, screeching to a stop by the pile of boys.  Jessie leaps out again, rummaging around.  She lifts up a knife, a grey sweatshirt, and finally a navy blue backpack.  As she hurries back, one guy gets up and yells at her to stop.  I guess he’s really attached to the knife she stole.  Most of the other boys are up by now too, and stalking angrily towards the car.  Jessie throws herself back in the car.

“Go!  Go! _Go go go_! they have baseball bats!”  She throws the sweatshirt and backpack to me.

“I told you, idiot.” The car tears away again.  I fish through my backpack and find my water bottle.  I lift his head up and tip some water into his mouth.  “You need to stay hydrated.”  I say softer to him.  “My butler will patch you up as soon as we get home.”

“What the hell?  Your butler?  What else does he do?”

“He cooks really good.”  I say, completely serious and sort of busy cleaning the rest of the blood off his body with another towel.

 

Jessie called ahead and made sure Alfred could stay a little while longer to patch up Asher.  I made sure he kept drinking water and staying hydrated while not bleeding out.  We rushed him down into the infirmary in the batcave for him to be stitched up.  

“Would you like to be numbed for your operation Master Asher?”

“YEs please.”  He says, wincing as he was adjusted.

“Of course.”  And we were ushered out.  I sat up in our grand kitchen with an ice pack on my head.  I don’t remember getting injured, but it must have been in that haze after Asher got stabbed.  Stephanie was standing on the other side of the counter eating ice cream straight out of the carton.  Dick was frustratingly trying to teach Damian how to make toast, and Damian was just trying to stab the toaster and complaining about why he would want to eat burnt bread.  

I wander back down to the cave, where Tim is covering for Bruce while he’s gone, doing the whole brooding in front of the computer thing.  I leave him be, he likes to be alone when he’s with his electronics.  So he likes to be alone _all_ the time.  

I walk into the infirmary and I’m alarmed that Asher’s not lying on the table.  Alfred is across the room cleaning up the bloodied tools.  I cross the room to the table.

“I sent Master Asher into the other room, it’s clean and he needs rest.”  I turn around and face the butler.  I see a sudden flash of worry hit his eyes.  “Master Samuel you are bleeding.”

“Huh?”  I inspect my sides and find a little drip of blood soaking into the right hip of my pants.  I lift my shirt to see a small but deep cut on my side.  “I don’t even remember getting that one.  Doesn’t even hurt.”

“Sit down Master Samuel I will take care of it.”  I sit down on the table and remove my shirt, preparing for the pain.  “Would you like to be numbed as well?”

“No thanks, I can handle it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for making it this far, I plan to update more frequently in the future, let me know if you want more and what you like. Please.


	4. In Which the Bat-mobile is Introduced

“You too?”  Says a voice by the door.  Asher’s standing there, resting on the door frame.

“Asher!  Why aren’t you resting?”  I scold, beating Alfred to it.  He walks up to me, attracted to the several scars riddling my upper body.

“What are these?  Why did you never tell me?”  He says, tracing one lightly with his hand.  

“That one was from a sword.”  I say, referring to the long one slicing my right bicep.  “I think it might have been a katana?”  I look to Alfred, who just shrugs.  He’s almost done stitching me now.  “Oh and this one” I say, pointing to a small puffy one on my left side “is from one of those claw grappling hook thingies, and it got lodged into my side.  Yeah that one was not pretty.”  I say, as Alfred finishes wiping away the excess blood and covering my wound in a bandage.  “Thanks Alfred.”

“Are you going to be alright down here?”  He asks politely.

“I think I know my way around.”  I say as I grin, he looks disappointed in me.  “And also I’m feeling fine.  Thanks.”  He nods and takes his tray of bloody tools out of the room.

  


“OK, who the hell are you?”  he says to me, folding his arms over his chest, wincing as he does it.

“Take a guess.”  I say, flashing the signature Wayne smile at his handsome face.  No one can resist a Wayne's charm, he lets a little smile break through his anger.

“A superhero?”  he says, laughing.

“Damn it!”  I say, putting my head in my hands.  “First try?”

“You’re fucking kidding.”  he says, not joking.

“No!  Of course not.  Did you see the scars?  I’ve got more, if they’ll prove anything to you...”  Then I let a huge grin involuntarily spread across my face as I start to roll up the bottom of my pants.  “Ok, you can’t tell anyone what I’m about to say.  Ever.  Got it?”  I abandon the scar idea, I have something better in mind.

“Yeah, sure buddy.”  he says, still not believing me, but softening up. I pull out my phone and pull up the video Jess and I got grounded (two weeks off patrol) for.  It's her and me in full costume taking down some of Joker's latest deranged thugs.  Some person in one of the buildings lining the streets thought it would be a good idea to take a video of our fight, which is very dangerous because people could use facial recognition and all that blah.  

“Ok, great.  I’ve seen that video before.  So?”

“Close your eyes.”  I say mischievously.  he sighs but obeys, and I take his shoulder and lead him out of the infirmary, up home of the platform inside the cave, just past the Batmobile and other bat cars and vehicles.  “Ok, open.”  

he's standing in front of our costumes in their respective little tubes.  he looks impressed for a second, then his face goes deadpan again.

“Ok so you have a Batman obsession.”

“No no, these are all ours.  That one, Lion, is mine.  No seriously, I’ll go put it on and do flips if you really want me to prove it.  I can go grab my siblings just to prove it to you.”  He sighs and looks away from me.  “Listen, I know this is a lot, but please trust me.  You know Jessie and I?  We’re practically twins?  Lion and Lioness?  Almost twins?”

“Ok, then who is your brother Dick?”

“Nightwing.  The first Robin, subbed in for Batman when we thought he was dead.  No one else would know that.”  He looks like he’s starting to believe me, but he’s trying not to show it.  “And no one else would know that Joker beat Jason almost to death with a crowbar then exploded the building he was in with his mother, and then the League of Assassins resurrected him in the Lazarus Pit, which is why he has that white streak in his hair for some reason.  Or that Stephanie’s biological dad is actually a supervillain.  It also explains all his kids.  He took them all in so that they wouldn’t turn out like he did, dedicating their lives to revenge and anger.  He set out to create an army, but ended up with a family.  No one else would know that.  Oh and also, that’s the batmobile.”  His jaw drops.

“You should have started with that!”  He fawns over the sleek, sexy vehicle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I know this one is shorter than usual, but I wasn't really sure how to continue on with the story from this point.


	5. The Most Beautiful Boy

** Sammy **

“... and he goes, ‘he’s not an eggplant, he’s retarded’!”  I barely make out through giggles, Asher throws his head back and laughs, stuck that way for a few minutes.  Suddenly he winces,  putting his hands on his wounds.  “Sorry about that.”

“It’s ok, it’s not really your fault.”  He says, sitting normal again, but I can tell on his face he’s still in pain.

“How are you doing?”  I say, trying to make the worry in my eyes apparent to him.

“Fine enough, considering I was stabbed.”  He says with a hint of humor in his voice.

“Let me see it.”  I say, pushing his shirt up, and inspecting the bandage.  I rest my hand lightly on his stomach, ignoring any other feeling, only logic and clear thinking.

* * *

**Asher **

My heart speeds up,  one of his hands pulls up my shirt, and the other is touching my skin.  His fingers are so light, so gentle and soft.  

He just smooths down the tape around my wound and releases my shirt, removing his hands from my skin all too soon.

“Looks as if you haven’t busted a stitch, so it should be fine enough for now.  We’ll need to replace it in the morning though.”  He says, remaining by my side.

“Thanks man.”  I say, pushing my shirt back down and he gets himself up to rest on the edge of his bed.  

“I’m sorry about all this.  It wasn’t supposed to go like this.”  He says, fidgeting with his hands.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Sammy Wayne get nervous, even when we were about to get beat up by those thugs.

“Shouldn’t we go to the hospital?”  I say, moving to sit next to him.

“No, we should keep this as secret as possible.”

“What!  Why?”  I say, pretty mad already that I got attacked, and now that we’re keeping it secret?

“If they find out that Gunner and his thugs attacked us, they’ll want to know who beat them up and how we escaped.  My family might be able to pay the staff to forget it, because if they stabbed you, they’ll want to examine us, and they’ll find quite a lot of scars and my father would have to do quite a lot explaining to the press and there’d be child services looking into it, it would be bad.”  I just noticed Sammy gets really cute when he’s passionate.

“Ok then.”  And it’s over.

“I’m still sorry.”  He says miserably down to his hands.

“You don’t have to be, I guess the one plus is I got to know you better.”  I say, which is a big plus indeed I might say.

“It still wasn’t supposed to go like this.  I’m so sorry.  It’s my fault.  Everything.  It’s all my fault.”  His voice get watery, I can’t see very well in the low light, but I think he- oh he better not start crying.

“No, stop.  You don’t have to be.  I’ll be fine, please.”  I place my hands on his face as an assurance, I can feel his chin quivering.  Damn it, this boy makes me feel too much.  I feel pricks in my eyes telling me my own tears were about to come, and they weren’t very far behind.  At the sight of my own tears, his face drops, looking around my wound areas.  “Please don’t feel like it’s your fault.  I could have left you to smoke in your misery that night, but I was… drawn to you.  I _could_ have never spoken to you again after running into you in the halls.  But I didn’t.  You know why?”  His watered down eyes reach up to meet mine again.  I’m struggling to find the words.  “Because I… I-”

* * *

** Sammy **

“Oh shut up.”  And I close the gap between us.  Our lips meet, sending fireworks exploding throughout my head.  For a second he looks confused, but after a while he pushes back just as hungrily.  I grab his loose blonde hair and pull his face closer, drawing him further onto the bed.  I’m on top of him, his legs in between mine.  This all feels a lot like what started it, Morgan and what she was trying to do.  Except that I feel safe.  But I hope he doesn't feel as scared as I was with her.  He puts his arm behind my back, hugging me closer.  Finally, we break apart breathlessly.

“-love you.”  He finishes his earlier sentence, out of breath.  I kiss him again, shorter this time.  He smiles.  Then he grins.  Oh no, not that look! Wwait-

He picks me up and swiftly drops me back on the bed.  I giggle, but he’s on top of me now, I’m laying on my back, staring up at the most beautiful boy I’ve ever met, and I’m pretty sure I’m dreaming and I’m going to wake up with a boner and Asher will make fun of me and ask me if I was having a ‘nightmare’ about Morgan again.  

“Pinch me.”  I whisper to him.

“What?”  He looks at me very confused and sits up on top of me for a second.  “I… mean if th-”

“I’m dreaming.  Aren’t I?”  He smiles kindly and leans back over.

“I can assure you this is definitely not a dream.”  He runs his hands up and down the inside of my thighs.  “And neither is this.”  And he puts his big, dreamy hands over the bulge in my crotch.  My breath hitches, and as I gasp, he leans back down to catch my lips. “What do you want me to do now,  _Daddy_?”  

“ _STop_.”  I say, pushing his chest playfully.  I kiss him again softly, lovingly.  “Moment ruined.”  

“I was just kidding, Runaway.”  My nickname, it makes me warm all over.  But especially in one particular spot.  I panic for a second, what if this is a joke?  What if he sits back and begins to laugh, another practical joke on my insecurities.  He’ll laugh, and I’ll pretend it was funny and I’ll realize I have feelings for my best friend but he doesn’t return them and...  

His hand finds my cheek again.  His hands, despite being big and strong, are surprisingly soft.  His touches are tender, and his lips taste like that feeling you get where you know you’ve smelled or tasted or touched something like it before, and it feels like déjà vu, but you can’t remember what it was.  And you don’t know why, but it feels like home.  That’s what his lips felt like on my body.

Home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading yet another chapter, this was the first time I tried doing the POV switch, I hope it wasn't confusing. I know the relationship went a bit faster then usual, but whoop, I couldn't help myself.


	6. Patching up a Stab Wound

**Sammy**

“I had the weirdest dream last night bro.”  I say, and as I sit up I realize he’s not on the other bed.  There’s a body in _my_ bed.  Oh Gods it’s Asher.   _HE’S NAKED OH GODS._

“It wasn’t a dream.  Oh Gods.”  I say more to myself than anyone else, I sit with my head in my hands for a second and watch my life crumble away.  But then I look back at the most beautiful boy I’ve ever seen, who just happens to be laying in my bed.  Without any clothes.  He looks so peaceful and… happy.  I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding and settled myself back into the bed.  I sigh and look over at him.  I move so my chest is facing his.  

“I don’t care if we’re young, I want… I…”  I say, not finishing the sentence, letting it hang awkwardly in the air.  I fondly brush a stray hair across his peaceful sleeping face.  I close my eyes and touch my forehead to his, basking in the wonderful moment.  

“I love you too Samuel Wayne.”  I hear his voice, smooth like caramel and rich like chocolate.  

* * *

**Asher**

My eyes peacefully drift open.  The rays of sun are lighting up the room through the cracks in his curtain.  It takes me all of two seconds to piece together last night.  I smile, remembering last night.  I hear him stirring beside me, and I close my eyes peacefully.  

“I had the weirdest dream last night bro.”  He says, sitting up.  His body tenses, and I can feel his body turning to look at me.  “It wasn’t a dream.  Oh Gods.”  He whispers, just barely audible.  His body is still so tense next to me.  I manage to crack open my eyes to look at him.  He’s got his head in his hands and his breath is really quick.  I resist the urge to sit up and just hold him in my arms.  I have a feeling it would not help him if he were to know I had been awake and heard the entire thing.  After a few seconds he sits up straighter and sighs deeply.  I close my eyes again.

“I don’t care if we’re young, I want... I...”  He says, seeming to grasp for the words in the still air.  His gentle hands reach down to brush a hair out of my face.  I try my hardest to not flinch or move quickly.  I feel his presence being returned next to me, his face close to mine again.  His nose brushes against mine, and I can’t restrain a smile anymore.

“I love you too Samuel Wayne.”  I say, finally opening my eyes, to look at him.  His eyes were closed, he doesn’t seem surprised, I guess not many can fool a Wayne.  His eyes creak open, and for the first time since last night, our eyes meet.  

* * *

**Sammy**  

“There’s sunlight in Gotham, this must be a dream.”  I say, not admitting how much my heart was racing.  I didn’t know he was awake.  

I open my eyes to come face to face with him.  Our noses are almost touching.  His piercing grey eyes meet my cloudy blue ones comfortably, my heart doesn’t go as berserk now, but there is a strange swelling feeling inside my chest.  I think this might be happiness.

I prop myself up on one elbow and inspect his face.

“Your hair is so feathery.  How do you get it to swoop so much?”  I say, threading my fingers through his hair.  I sit up on my knees to get a better angle, covering my legs with the blanket and trying to keep my dignity.  “I have some hair gel that could help you with that.”

“Is that so?”  He says sleepily.  Calmly letting me play with his soft hair.  “Is that how you get your hair to do that floppy thing?”

“Uh huh,” I say absently.  “You know, you’d look better with your hair floofed up.”  I say, combing his hair back up his head.  Half of it flops back over to the other side of his head, but it has more volume now, more floppy.  More like mine I guess, if you want to say that.  I smile, for the first time in a while.  He actually looks really good like that.  I sit back and tiredly take in his smile.  I send the smile back down, and trace a line down his arm muscles with my thin fingers.  He starts to sit up, winces a bit, but waves away my hands before I can help him any.  He’s farther away, and he leans down, kissing every scar on his way up my chest.  His soft lips find my newest wound first, planting a light, feathery kiss over the bandage.  He finds the grappling hook scar, and the long katana scar, and the others.  Me puts his big hands over my sides and looks up at me, our faces closer now.  He sits up all the way now and plants a kiss on my forehead.  

“I love you.”  He whispers into my ear and I lean my head against his.

“I love you too.”  I let the moment rest for a moment.  “How’s your stab wounds?”

“Could be better.”  He says as I lift his arms.  I check the red spot seeping through his bandage.

“We should get you new ones soon.  I might have some in my bag.”

“You just carry those around?”

“Yeah, you never know when you’ll find a cute boy bleeding in your bed.”

“Oh you think _I’m_ cute?"  He scoffs and doesn't say anymore for a little while.  Then his face finds its way closer to mine.  "Maybe I should keep some of those around.  Y’know, just in case there’s a cute boy who needs to be patched up.”

I rummage through my school bag and find the small zippered pouch on the inside with my first aid stuff.  I grab some bandages and medical tape back over to the bed, slipping on some sweatpants on my way back.  

“There’s no need to be shy, I’ve already seen it all.”  Asher says, with his bright mischievous smile.  I just shake my head and get to work removing the tape from around the bloody bandage, and then peeling the soaked cloth off his skin.  I involuntarily cringe as I see the damage.  

“Looks like you broke some of your stitches with all that _strenuous_ activity last night.”  I flirt lovingly.  “I’ll be right back, I need to redo some of your stitching.”  I exit the room, glancing around before heading to the bathroom to grab the materials I needed to stitch him back up.  When I got back he was trying to clean off the blood that leaked out of his wound.  “I’ll look at the other one, just to check if it’s ok or not.”  I say as I peel the medical tape off of the second stab wound.  It was slightly better than the other, but still needed to be patched up a good bit.

“No chance you have some of that numbing stuff?”  Asher asked, the ever hopeful.

“Sorry, Alfred has it and I don’t want him getting nosy as to what caused you to bust your stitches.”  I say, preparing the area.  “This is going to hurt.”  I say, getting ready to wipe it down with alcohol again, keeping it safe from infection and all that good stuff.  He winces and tries to exclaim and curse as quietly as he could.  “Sorry about this.”

I have to take out the old, busted stitches out before I put in the new ones, so it’s an extra long process.  He’s doing a pretty good job though, toughing it out.

“You really know a lot about this.”  He says, wincing after I thread the stitching through his flesh again.  

“I’m _almost_ sixteen, I wasn’t born yesterday.”  I say to his side, sticking it into his skin again.  

“Exactly, you’re fifteen.  I think it’s kinda messed up you _do_ know how to do this.”

“It’s a pretty messed up life to begin with.”  I sigh.  I thread it through the last time and tie it off, covering my work with a bandage and securing it with tape.  “Alright, next one.”  I narrate as I wipe down the next one with alcohol, ignoring his squirming.

“Okay, so I have a question, because I have nothing to do while I sit here and let you sew my flesh back together.”

“Shoot.  Not literally, I already have to deal with enough of that.”  

“So what are we?  I don’t think either of us want it to be a one night stand and we go back to being the same friends.  I mean we already professed our undying love for each other, so does that mean I get to call you my boyfriend?”

“Whatever you want, babe.”  I say, distracted by his bloody skin.

“See how natural it sounds?  I think we could make this work.”

“Yeah definitely.”  He winces as I pull on one too tight.  “Sorry!”

“You’re fine.  I can take it, I’m just trying to block it out right now.”

“However you need to cope with it is fine with me babe.  I’m almost done with this one.”  I say.  He grunts in thanks.  

“I need to pee.”  He says to the floor.  “And I’m starving.”

“Just relax and think of anything else.  I’m putting on the bandage now.”  And I finish it off with medical tape.  

“I’m going to the bathroom.”  Asher stated, grabbing one of my tank tops and a pair of my shorts before walking out of the room in the direction of the second floor’s bathroom.  

“See you downstairs in the kitchen.”  I call to him as he walks away from me.  He arrives a minute or two after me in the kitchen.  It just occurs to me I never put a shirt on, but it’s nice and warm in the kitchen so I figure it’s fine.  “What do you want for breakfast?”

“What do you have?”  He asks innocently enough, looking around the kitchen.

“Literally everything.  You could have quail eggs for breakfast if you wanted.  Usually Alfred likes to make breakfast, but having someone do stuff for you all day gets exhausting, y’know?”  

“I cannot relate.”  He says, gazing up and around the kitchen, almost in wonder.  As if it’s the first time he’s ever been in here.

“Anyways, he’s probably being forced to wash Damian’s underwear or making Tim go outside or something.”  I pull out an ice pack from the fridge and toss it to him.  “Here, in case it’s sore, keep that on it.”

“Thanks babe.”  He says, catching it a bit ungracefully.  “Y’know what I could go for for breakfast?”  He says, pulling me closer by the small of my back.

“Hmmm, I don’t know, what?  Some mints?”  I say, right in the path of his morning breath.  

“How about some Sammy Wa- are you saying I _stink_?”  He says incredulously.

“Shh, just go back to that sweet moment.”  I say, touching our noses and closing my eyes.  My hands are resting over his forearms.  My nose turns to the side, my mouth migrating closer to his.  I feel his soft lips brush against mine, I close in pressing-

“I knew it!”  Comes a screech from across the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a little longer than usual, but I couldn't find a good place to stop. I hope the switch wasn't too confusing because I tried it a bit differently this time. Thank you again for bearing with me.


	7. Family Matters

“I knew it!”  Comes a screech from across the kitchen.  The accusing voice comes from a specific blonde ex-Robin, Stephanie Brown.  I sigh in resignation and rest my head on my boyfriend’s sturdy chest.  Beside her stands my big sister who can’t seem to restrain her emotions.  She looks like she’s about to cry or scream or something.  They’re both having mental breakdowns and I’m burning, still caught in Asher’s embrace.

“OOh, so that’s why you never appreciate my _girlfriend_ jokes?”  Jessie cries out.

“What, no.  What?  No they _are_ terrible, that’s why I ‘don’t appreciate’ them.”  

“They are so _not_ terrible.”  She says indignant, and my face involuntarily cringes.

“Yeah, sorry to break it to you.”  She looks miffed.

“I _thought_ I heard some stuff last night.”  Stephanie says, squinting her eyes at us.  “I’m telling dad.”

“You will do no such thing.”  I cry.  She smiles mischeviously.  “No!  Steph!  Get back here!  Jess, some help?!”

“I’m sorry, there’s no stopping a Brown on a warpath.”  She says, crossing her arms.

“This is because I said your jokes suck, isn’t it?”  I accuse, vaulting over the counter.

“Never insult a comedian’s jokes.”

“Then why are _you_ insulted?”  I prod as I race out of the room leaving my new boyfriend in the kitchen with my crazy sister.  I can see her small form disappearing past another corner, and I sprint towards her.  As I’m running I past Damian’s room and I knock as hard and quick as I can.  “Dami I need you to kill Stephanie for me.”  He immediately shows up at the door half out of his pajamas.

“Brown shall be extinguished.  From brother to brother.  Even if you are an insipid half-breed.  What is in it for me?”

“Anything.  I don’t care, just make sure she doesn’t talk to Bruce.”  I say, starting to get out of breath.

“It shall be done.”  And he tears down the hall with his sword slung over his shoulder.  I took the other way around so she couldn’t escape.  I turn the corner and she’s at the other end of the hallway, seeing me, she turns to run the other way just to see Damian running towards her with no pants on and a sword drawn.  

“You’re such a cheater!”  She yells at me.  

“I was just using my resources.”  I state, arms folded.

“I was ordered to smite you Brown.”  Says Damian, approaching her slower now with his sword.

“Whoa whoa whoa, no one is smiting anyone.”  Bruce says, groggily stumbling out of his room.  I lunge forward and sprint toward Stephanie.  

“Bruce he’s-”  But I got there first, smothering her voice behind my hand.

“Nope.  Not doing that.”  She looks very frustrated behind my hand.  She even tries to lick my hand, but I refuse to fall for that gross move.

“Sammy, what are you doing?”  Bruce says, groggy from sleep and tired of his kids.

“She’s on acid, yeah?  Didn’t want you believing anything she says.”  And then she bites my hand.  “Ow!  Dad she bit me!”

“Go back to bed.”  He says and slams the door on us.  She huffs and I thank Damian for the assistance before returning to the kitchen only to walk in on Jessie and Asher laughing so hard Jessie was doing her snort-laugh thing.  

“And what are you guys doing?”  I say hesitantly, but I’m not even sure I want to know.

“Just telling your _boyfriend_ here,”  she puts her arm around him companionably “all the embarrassing stories of your past.”

“Of course.”  I sigh.

“Did you really think you could go out as a slutty mummy if you wrapped toilet paper around your-”

“Yes, now I remember you saying something about being hungry, what do you want to eat?”

“What, besides your little mummy?”  He says, tears in his eyes.

“Ewewewew I don’t want to hear this.  Gross.”  Says Jessie, covering her ears and making faces.

“Hey, my mummy is not little and you know it.”  I say, pointing to Asher.

“You’re right, I do know that.”  Asher winks at me, smiling.

“Fine, I’m calling Winn over and we’ll make out in front of you two.”  Jessie says, pouting at the counter.

“Eww heterosexuality.”  I say, crinkling my face as I pull out some Froot Loops.

“You’ve known you were homo for what, 10 hours, and you’re already getting offended by the straights?”  Asher looks at me, shaking his head.

“What can I say, my superpower is being gay for you.”  I say, shaking my head and looking at my older sister.

“Ok, I’m leaving.  I’m not hungry anymore.  Enjoy your Hom-O’s.”  She says, pushing away from the counter and abandoning her spot.  

“You want some Froot Loops?”  I ask him, holding up a bowl.

“Yeah sure, why not.”

“You’re supposed to eat healthier.”  Comes my sister’s voice from the other room.

“You’re not supposed to eat dick.”  I yell back.

“Right back at you, SuperGay.”  She retorts.

“Touchee.”  I say back.  “At least they have the word ‘froot’ in the name.”  I say to my boyfriend.

“Even though it is spelled wrong?”  He watches as I pour the cereal into our expensive bowls.

“Yeah, it’s the thought that counts, right?  What kind of milk do you want?”

“Ummm, milk?”  He says, eyebrows raised.  “I don’t care, I didn’t even know there were different kinds of milk.”

“Ok, I’ll assume that means cow’s milk.  I don’t like cow’s milk very much, so I drink almond milk, and some of my siblings prefer soy milk or rice milk.”  I pour in the milk, keeping them in their respective places, _very_ separate.  I will not have some nasty cow udder in my sacred Froot Loops.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you so much for the support and make sure to comment what you want me to do next.


	8. Asher

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When your mom asks to see your first published work, but you don't want to tell her it's about Batman's gay son...

“Hi mom.”  I say, slinging my bag off my shoulders and trying my best not to wince at the movement.  

“Hey honey.”  She says, bent over a steaming pot.  “How was your sleepover?”

“Well, you know.  The usual.  Pretty uneventful.”  I walk over to give her a hug and sniffing what was in the pot.  

“Did Mr. Wayne drive you home?”  She says, planting a kiss on my cheek as I took in the aroma of the soup she was making.

“Yes, ma.  Sammy walked me up.”

“I  thought you didn’t let him know where we really lived.”  She says, worry in her eyes.

“I trust him.”  I don’t tell her I just wanted another moment with him to myself.  I lingered outside of the door, his taste on my lips, watching him walk down the hall, away from me.  “We also don’t have to worry about the rent this month.”  Her eyes flew open.

“I can pay just fine, thank you!”  She says, volume raising with every word.  “You don’t need to go grovelling to your rich friends for help.”  

“He just wanted to do something nice, the only way he really knows how.  Through money.”  I say quietly.  Every explanation only making it worse.

“Those damn rich folks.”  She swears, many volume notches lower than before.  

“It’s your birthday present.”  I say.  Looking at her.  I know how much she’s struggling, keeping me and my sister in that prestigious school, working three jobs just to pay the rent.  She won’t let me work, claiming she can handle it all on her own.  I’m sure she’s aware I smuggle my own scraps I earn into her private stashes.  She probably hates it, but I keep doing it, determined to help her.  My sister does it occasionally, when she actually has something to put in there.  

I settle into bed, it feels so small and empty compared to Sammy’s bed.  My bed is cold and lumpy, but his always seem to be warm when we crawl into it.  Not to mention how soft and fluffy the bed is.  I try to draw up that memory again, my arm over his, bare skin over bare skin.  The smell of his hair right after I wake up.  Like fruits and dried sweat.  The feelings of our two bodies pressed against each other, not even clothing separating us.  I’m lost in the feeling of my arm over his side, feeling his even breathing as he continues to sleep.  The smile he makes when he wakes up and confirms that yet again, it wasn’t a dream. 

“Asher Michael Cartel.” Comes a deep, gravelly voice from outside of my daydreams.  I bolt up, the warm light from my inside my head shatters as my eyes snap open, taking in the dark, dingy room.  There is no visible source of the voice, too much darkness.  I throw my legs over the edge of the bed, preparing to protect myself (using the minimal self defense that Sammy taught me in a crash course) if the need arises.  

“Who’s there?”  I say, but quietly, because I would not want to wake up my mother in the other room.  

“You seem to be expressing some interest in my son.”  The voice says, my eyes are beginning to adjust, but I still can’t see the source.

“Bruce?  Are you talking about Sammy?” I direct to the darkness.

“I know about you two.”  A form begins to materialize out of the darkness.  It is slowly approaching closer to the bed where I was standing.

“Did he tell you?”   I say, I can make out the details of the Batman costume now.  He steps into the moonlight from my window and pulls off the cowl from his face.

“I’m the World’s Greatest detective, and I know my son, but really, could you have not used my name?”  He says, more friendly now that the cowl was removed.

“Sorry sir, I just wasn’t sure who I was addressing.”  I say, my heart still pounding.

“Listen son, I know you and my son are… a couple.  And I just wanted to let you know that I approve.  What kind of terrible father would I be if I didn’t?  I see you two together, and I’ve never seen Sammy happier in his life.  He smiles around you and laughs easily.”   I blush, but I’m sure he can’t tell in the darkness.  “And you seem to actually be in love, even if you are probably too young for that.  Which brings me here tonight.”

“Sir, I-”

“If you hurt him I will personally see to it that whatever pain you inflict on him will be brought down tenfold upon you.”  He says as he pulls the cowl back on, somehow adding 10,000 times more dramatic effect into the intimidation.  

“Of course sir, I-”  But I look up from my hands, and he’s already gone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, if you read this far, it means a lot to me. Thank you so much for reading and actually taking time out of your day to read this trash...


	9. Asher, part 2

“Sorry babe I have patrol tonight, and I can’t get out of it because I switched with Tim to go to your family reunion.  You know how Tim is.”  Says the voice out of my phone.  

“Guess I’ll just have to get mugged or beat up again to get you to notice me.”  I say, sighing into the device.

“Please… _don’t_ do that?”  Comes the voice again, and even though he sounds serious, there is a hint of humor in his voice.  I chuckle a bit to myself, and I can hear the voice across the wires join me.  

* * *

 

I hit the red button on my phone and imagine him going off into the world, leaping off buildings and punching bad guys.  I almost envy him sometimes, but then I remember the kind of people he goes up against and remember exactly why I'm going to get a job being a regular athlete.  I got a scholarship into college to be a football player, although you can get pretty injured from that as well.  I've been studying a lot of medical stuff as well, picking some up from Alfred here and there.  I'm not really good with the whole being beat up thing, and anyways, I'm not much of a night person.  

Today when I hang up feels different though.  Usually I'm nervous, of course I am.  Anyone would if the person they loved more than anything else went gallivanting around in a mask confronting the criminally insane.  But today I have that nervous knot in the bottom of my stomach, the kind you get before a math test you didn't study for.  I pass it off as the stomach bug that's going around school and start thinking about my homework.  

I'm only halfway through my science homework when my phone rings again.  I assume it to be either Sammy or my mom, who's out working late.  It's neither of them, it's the Wayne's home phone number.  Oh well, his phone must have died or maybe... one of his siblings needs something, I'm fairly close with Duke, so maybe it's him.  Dick's pretty friendly too...

"Hello?"  It's too quick I don't have time to think.

"Master Samuel?"  I hear his accent, something must be wrong, is something wrong?  Oh God...

"Yes Alfred, hello.  Is everything alright?"  I try to mask the panic in my voice.

"About that, you may want to come to Manor as quickly as possible."  He says, he seems to hesitate a little bit.

"Oh my God- what happened, is Sammy alright?  Alfred, what happened, is he hurt?  Who hurt him?  Is there blood?  Oh God, oh God..."  They say time is supposed to slow down, but it speeds up.  Everything's a blur.  I barely remember hanging up, I think the butler was trying to tell me something else.  I can't hear anything over the beating of my heart, I don't even grab anything but a coat and shoes, and I'm flying out the door.  I don't even stop to think about how I'll get there anytime soon, we don't exactly live in the same neighborhood.  I hear sirens now, all over the city.  Ambulances and firetrucks.  It's normal for Gotham, but every time a new one goes off I think of Sammy.  

 

I'm getting more and more tired, and losing hope of even getting there on foot, when a sleek, vehicle pulls up next to me.  I'm walking by business buildings so I don't even look twice and keep up my brisk pace.  I glance over when I notice it inching by to keep up with m-

Wait is that-

That's the-

That's the fucking Batmobile!

I stop in my tracks, staring for a quick second at the impressive thing, all streamline and functionality, while still being sexy.  I have to hurry and collect my jaw from the floor when the top slides back, revealing Bruce in full Batman attire.  He just stares coldly at me for a few seconds before his artificially lowered voice growls at me.

"Get in."  Is all he says, I hesitate for a second, making sure there isn't a Robin or Batgirl behind me and try to find my way up the slippery sides.  I apologize when I finally get in for the delay, brushing off my sweaty hands almost as if I can brush off my awkwardness.  But I mean honestly, any mere mortal such as myself would be completely overwhelmed if they were sitting in  _the_ Batmobile.  

"Is he alright, is Sammy hurt?"  I say, a slight tremor in my voice.  It's been an extremely long day.  He just turns to look over at me, being silent.  "OK, I won't ask anymore..."  I trail off, looking out the opposite window, watching this filthy city fly by my eyes.  I'm going faster than I've ever gone before.  We get there in record time, and almost die when the side of a cliff opens up for the car.  The top opens, and once again I struggle with getting down, I don't want to hurt myself in haste.  He doesn't wait for me, leading up the stairs taking off his cowl on the way up.  That doesn't stop him from being very intimidating though.  I follow behind silently, keeping all questions to myself.  "Wait, why are we going up, isn't the infirmary down there?"  I failed at my one task...

"He had to be moved somewhere more comfortable."  He answers, in his normal voice this time, but I shudder a little bit, getting my first whole answer of the day.  "Wait here."  He says with finality, leaving me outside of a large wooden door.  I only have to wait for a small amount of time though, because he emerges again, this time with regular clothes.  He's not dressed very fancy, but I'm still positive his shirt costs more than my family's apartment.  I just- I've just learned not to question it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how long this took, but I couldn't think of what to write.


	10. Asher, part 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyways, I'm so sorry I didn't get around to updating for literally EVER, but a friend started reading and told me I had to update so I guess here we are.

We enter the living room, and suddenly a light is flicked on.  Everything that was paused is playing again.

"SURPRISE!" what the-

Everything's moving normal except my heart rate, it's going hyper drive.  My legs crumple and I'm on the floor.  I stare blankly across from me.  The Waynes, like, _all_ of them.  The team... Sammy's team... Mom?  Sammy?  He's-

He's okay.  He's in front of me, kneeling down at my level.  His soft hands help me back up to my feet, and he says with a bright smile on his face, "Happy Birthday babe!  Surprise!"

"Wai- but you're... you're- okay..."  I say, trying to get a grip of my surroundings.  

“Yeah, why would I not be?”  He says, with a giant smile spread across his face.

“Well… He called me… and I assumed the worst.  What… What’s happening?”  I say blankly, my head still fuzzy.  

“You forgot?”  He says gently, cupping my head in his hand.  What did I forget? What? “It’s your birthday silly.  Everyone’s here to celebrate.”  

“So you lied.”  I say, finding Alfred’s eyes, squinting at him and at Bruce.

“I never said anything about anyone getting hurt.”  Says the butler, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away.  

“Why are you looking at me?”  Says the old billionaire, placing his hand over his heart indignantly, faking innocence.  I just scoffed at this act of betrayal.  

“Oh just lighten up and say ‘hi’ to everyone.”  Sam says, shaking his head at me and intertwining our fingers and leading me to the other side of the room.  

“Wow, you really _did_ mean everyone.”  Seeking out my very out-of-place looking mother in the crowd.  My eyes sweep the crowd.  Some of my school friends, some neighbors Mom most definitely invited, and like every superhero Batman trusted enough to be in Gotham, and some he didn’t quite.  

“I can’t believe you forgot your sixteenth birthday.”  He says, shaking his head as he follows me around the room.  I’m still in a state of shock, the buzzing in my head is still there, just fainter now that I’m not focusing on it.   

* * *

 

All that I can feel is the wind brushing against our bodies, his head is buried in my neck, letting his hair tickle my chin.  His body takes most of the wind except for my head.  My brighter locks are out of control, going every which way, and my head is getting cold.  Sammy shifts closer to me, trapping our body heat between us.  His breathing is more even, I think he may be falling asleep.  Heaven knows this boy needs more rest.  His cute little body shifts against me, and his nose moves to nuzzle against my neck.  It sends a little electric _zing_ through my body, but I don’t move for fear of waking him.  I relax, letting him sleep on my shoulder, my arm around his side, holding him close to me.  My heart’s still a little shaky, still recovering from thinking I lost him.  I don’t know what I would do if I lost him.  He is everything to me, I never told him but he gave me that will to live I had been missing my entire life, it’s like I’ve never been able to breathe before we met and as soon as we bumped into each other I took my first inhale of wonderful, beautiful air.  I’ve never been able to hold him enough, I don’t think I ever will, and to have that taken from me.  So _soon._  I couldn’t bear it.  The only birthday present I’ve ever needed was him, just him and me.  Here, I think _this_ is what heaven is.

“I’m so in love with you Sammy.  I couldn’t lose you.”  I whisper into his hair.  He stirs.  Shit I done messed up.  

“Don’t worry Ash.  I won’t leave, not yet.  I still have to give you _my_ present.”  He smirks, sitting up.  He smushes his cute little face against my cheek.

“Mmmm I like the sound of _that_ .”  I say quietly to his forehead.  His lips move closer to mine, and they meet, the moment sizzling in the chilly night.  My eyes drift, peacefully closing.  His body shifts, but our lips stay locked.  He drags his soft hands over my chin.  My eyes open slowly, and sitting between our laps is a small, wrapped present.  It’s the size and shape of a shoe box, and I assume that’s what it is, but when it’s unwrapped and opened the interior holds an entirely different scene.  Several odd objects rest in the chaos and I have to take out one at a time to digest the present.  On the top is a pack of cigarettes, odd, but OK...  Then a small book, _Tom Sawyer_.  I set it aside and continue to dig.  A knife. It's small, just a slightly large pocket knife, but still a knife. Slightly disturbing, OK. Keep going.  Sammy looks nervous, he shifts In his seat watching me closely for any reaction.  The next item is a small cloth package, inside is an assortment of items which which takes a few seconds for me to make out.  A needle, some type of thread, bandages.  OK are we going to beat someone up?  Get beaten up?  I don't know I keep digging in the shoe box.  A black, silky bow tie.  Still tied up on the package.  There's only one more item - a small, velvety box.  Hesitantly, I reached in and brought it closer.  My heart beat fast as I slowly opened the top.  Inside was a small, silver band.  I couldn't breathe for for a second, just watching the ring as if to see if it will change in some way.  He's holding his breath.  I stutter, trying to speak through through the feeling of a loaf of bread in the throat.

“It's a promise, not an engagement.  It's OK if-if you're not… ready…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I'll try to write more at a better pace but exams are coming up so don't get too excited. Also if you have any predictions for what Sammy's odd presents mean... let me know!


	11. Asher, part 4

“It's a promise, not an engagement.  It's ok if-if you're not… ready…”  He says nervously, playing with his hands.  I can tell he regrets it a little bit, I don’t want him to be embarrassed.  

“I may be sixteen, but I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.”  I say firmly, looking into his beautiful eyes.  He nods his head tensely, but I can see the relief on his face, he looks down absently at the shoebox.  I put it all back inside, letting him slip the plain, cold band onto my finger.  I give the box on last final little pat and reached across to Sammy, kissing him again.  

I wrap him closer to me, barely holding on to our body heat.  It may be time to go back inside.  

Suddenly the door creaks open behind us, we break apart, hearing my mother’s voice.  I violently scooch away, realizing our hands were still together, I changed tender hand holding quickly to just a firm handshake.

“Thanks for the present, man.”  I say, smiling.  He easily composes himself and adjusts his posture so there’s no way anyone would guess we were just heatedly making out.  My mom has her coat tucked around her body, and she was dragging my sister behind her.  My sister’s never been in such a big house with so many people, she looks a little star struck still, even after a few hours.  

“Hey Ash, you ready?”  Mom says in her rich, accented voice.  

“Actually Mom, I was wondering if I could stay the night?”  I say, wiping my sweaty palms on my pants.

“I’m ok with that, but you don’t have any extra clothes, do you?”  She stops on the porch, still holding my sister’s wrist.  

“I’ll be fine… I think.”  Ha, _clothes_ , she has no idea.

Is Mr. Wayne - well, and Mr.s Wayne for that matter - alright with that?”  She’s such a goody-goody, so formal.  

“They probably will, most likely won’t even notice.”  Sammy jokes beside me, Mom just purses her lips in disapproval.  She doesn’t like hearing about most stuff the Waynes do, especially if it involves them taking their wealth or family for granted.  

“Alright well, you two boys have fun.  And go inside and get warm, you’ll both catch colds!”  She smiles, cradling my face with her large, worn fingers before she leaves.  My sister just waves as she’s towed away from the mansion.  We wait until her car is long gone until we grab each others hands again, he smiles and pulls me off the bench on the porch and we go inside.  I make sure to set the shoe box down somewhere I will remember it in the morning before I kiss him again, pulling my boyfriend into the darkness of his room.  

The house is silent, the voices who were talking until midnight had quieted, the occupants were not likely all asleep yet, but the boy next to me certainly was.  His body was nestled warmly into my side, keeping me warm - almost too warm under his numerous covers.  My hands absently run over his soft side, my eyes are tired, but I can’t seem to go to sleep.  I can feel his breath coming out from his soft lips, pressed against my chest.  The only sound I can hear is his soft breathing and someone playing video games in a few rooms over in the suffocating darkness.  At first I was worried about how thin the walls were, if I could hear video games from a ways away, but I remember hearing Sam was definitely not the only child to sneak his lover in their bedroom.  I received further affirmation after someone started yelling at Jason to turn the volume down, but he just turned it up and told Bruce to suck his dick.  

Sammy's hair tickles my arm, and I’m sure there’ll be an imprint in the morning.  It's a wonder how he can sleep through this household's My fingers gently trace his ribs, lovingly caressing his scars on his sides, running up and down his spine.  To think it was just like last year when we met, I never could have thought it would have came this far.  I mean, I’d had a crush on him for like forever, but then when we officially met I thought I was in love, it was like getting hit in the head with a baseball bat.  Dizzy, can’t think straight, but hopefully it doesn’t hurt.  Well, not as much as everyday I had to live pretending to just want to be his friend.  Every time I wrapped my arms over his lovely shoulders and died a little thinking he would never love me back.  If I could talk to myself back then it would probably be something like: ‘ _Well buddy boy I’ve got some news for you.  Things are going to work out and be even more perfect than you thought, but you’re going to have to get stabbed first.  Don’t worry man, it will be worth it.  Yeah, you know what I’m talking about.’_

Like the first morning after, he was so nervous, thinking it was a joke, how I cradled him and told him I would never leave him, we professed our love and promised to stay with each other forever and all that - and then I had to get stitches.  I mean, whatev-

Wait, stitches.  That was what the thread was in his present.  And the needle - Of course!  I assume that’s what the knife has to do with too, why was I so stupid?  The cigarettes, it’s so obvious now, that’s when we met, right after Morgan.  The book, it must have been the second time we met in the hallway.  I picked up a book and handed it to him, was it a history textbook?  Science?  What is it - was it really  _Tom Sawyer_?  For his AP English class.  He kept rambling on about it all the time, said it was one of his favorite books.  Didn’t Tom Sawyer run away or something in the book?  I don’t know I’ve never read it, but all I know is that Sammy loved it.  

Then the bow tie - from my family’s reunion and Bruce made him dress up and I went to fix his tie to tease him.  Oh my God I love this boy.  The entire shoe box is just our story.  Our _love_ story from day one, when I fell in love with him, and now he’s telling me the next chapter, where I fall in love with him all over again.  He’s telling me he’s serious about the whole ‘spending the rest of our lives together’ thing.  And I know now that maybe...

I am too.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just to tie up a few loose ends I'll get you some quality in a little while later... hopefully. Anyways, hope you like it!


End file.
